Q: How old were you when you entered the service?
A: I was 18. I left for Marine Corps boot camp 10 days after I graduated high school.

Q: Why did you leave the Marines and go to Army Special Forces?
A: When I was in the Marines (Force Recon), which was at that time the Marines “special forces”, they were not a part of SOCOM (Special Operations Command). SOCOM is the unified command that controls Army, Navy and Air Force special operations units, such as Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs. Force Recon was not a part of SOCOM at that time, therefore we did not have the best gear that was available, or get the missions that the other SOF units were getting. I trained with SEAL’s and SF while in Force Recon, and I saw the difference it made. Now there is MARSOC (Marine Special Operations Command) that is part of SOCOM.

Q: Why did you choose the Army?
A: I was already a qualified military diver while in the Marines. We did a lot of water work like the SEALs, so that was a block I had already checked. I always had a deep respect for Army Special Forces, as they represented (to me) the quintessential image of a professional solider that I was looking for. In my opinion, they have the widest range of overall special operations knowledge of any SOF unit.

Q: Where are you from originally?
A: Pittsburgh, PA.

Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A: None…..only child.

Q: What was your MOS in Special Forces?
A: I was an 18BW9. Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, HALO/SCUBA qualified.

Q: What do you consider your “weak link”?
A: Without a doubt I would have to say I have a weak stomach…which should prove to be interesting shooting “Dual Survival”!!!

Q: What kind of knife do you carry on the show?
A: I teamed up with one of the finest knife makers in the world, TOP’s, and designed my own knife. It’s called the SURV TAC 7. 100% made in the USA. It’s a combination survival / tactical knife. I have pictures of it on this web site. I will be offering a Limited Edition series of my knife on my web site soon. Working out the details with TOP’s as we speak.

Q: What do you do to keep in such good shape?
A: If you go to Training Philosophies page on my web site, I talk about this subject. The bottom line is this. I am not one to tout specific diets or workouts. Each person’s lifestyles and eating habits are different, just as their “motivation” to keep in shape. The harsh reality of keeping in shape is that it is proportionally equal to the amount of time and dedication you put into it. Eating properly is essential to maintaining top physical condition…which to me is the hardest part, as I like to eat. If I get more people asking me about this subject I will post a copy of my workout routine. It’s basically a highly modified “Spartacus” workout.

Keeping in shape is a lifestyle choice, pure and simple.

Q: You must have been an athlete in school, what sports did you play?
A: Truth be known, I was the 99 lb. weakling in school. I know this is not what you would expect to hear, but it’s the truth. I was never an “athletic” type in school, and did not play any sports. Most guys that enter into the military, specifically “special operations” were very athletic in their school years. That is the norm…I was not one of them.

Q: Then how do you explain your ability to have accomplished such high level physical training during your career?
A: I have been asked this question more than any other…and I really don’t have an answer that people will understand. I would have to say it was a combination of several things. First and foremost I had a deep desire to serve my country. Second, I wanted to prove to myself I was capable of accomplishing something that everyone else said I would most likely fail at. Most people that knew I was going into the Marines out of high school laughed at me. Third, I wanted my family to be proud of me. My mother passed away when I was in 11th grade, and she always wanted the best for me, no matter what I would have chosen as a career. Her memory was a constant motivation for me. I am a perfect example of someone who may of not been the most “athletic” guy to show up to the party, but my desire and motivation made up for it. I can tell you this for sure. If you are someone that wants to be a “Green Beret” to wear a SF tab, or a SEAL to wear the Trident, or a Ranger to wear a Ranger Tab…don’t even bother. No matter how “tough” you may think you are, your inner motivation for why you want to be “that person” will not be enough for you to make it through the training. Your motivation(s) must be much deeper than that. There is not a single man that I know that has served in “special operations” that does not tear up when he hears the National Anthem. That is the kind of motivation it takes, it must stir you emotionally. If you’re just looking for the “badge” save yourself a lot of pain and suffering and just go to your local Army/Navy surplus store and buy one. I am not trying to sound rude, but these are the hard facts of life for someone that is thinking about going into the military, specifically special operations.

Q: How did you get picked for “Dual Survival”?
A: It actually started prior to doing a pilot for Spike TV . Although it never aired, I did meet several people that were instrumental in me getting the opportunity to test for “Dual Survival”. Like most other industries, the “movie / reality TV” industry is small. My name was mentioned for “Dual Survival” by one of the producers I met while shooting the Spike pilot. I was contacted by an Executive Producer at Discovery and asked me if I wanted to do a “chemistry test” with one of their hosts on a survival show. In the beginning Discovery was being somewhat secretive on who I was going to be doing a “chemistry test” with, which is normal. If you don’t know what a “chemistry test” is, it’s exactly that…a test to see how I would interact and react to the other person while on camera. There were 5 of us that went to Arizona to test with Cody. The other 4 guys had strong special operations backgrounds, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. I got picked.

Prior to the chemistry test, Discovery did a detailed background investigation on me, to include wanting all of my military documentation and references. Supplying my military DD214’s and documentation was not an issue; however, they (Discovery) have been given very specific guidelines as to what they can say about my government service.

Q: Your bio says you were in a “government counter-terrorist unit”. Which one were you in?
A: This is the 2nd most asked question I get. Here is the bottom line. I am bound by law not to reveal the name or the “unit” inside this organization. This organization is not like any other “special operations” unit, in the fact that once you are “out” you can tell other people you were in this particular unit. A good example of this are guys that served in a Tier 1 unit, either Delta or DEVGRU (SEAL Team 6). Their identities while active duty are closely guard secrets, however, once they are out, there is nothing “legally” prohibiting them to disclose on a resume or a job application that they served in one of those units. The unit I was in prohibits me from disclosing my involvement… for life. I can never disclose details of my participation or involvement any further than I have done thus far. And what I have disclosed has been approved by that organizations legal department.

Q: What do you do when you are not filming “Dual Survival”?
A: When I am home I am busy teaching courses through my training company, www.loneoperatorinc.com , working out and spending time with my friends and family.

Q: What happened to Dave Canterbury?
A: I don’t know Mr. Canterbury, nor have I ever met him. My suggestion is that you contact Discovery for a proper response.